Let's compile reliable data to promote health

In 2015, three out of ten people in Florida’s Glade County and Dixie County were physically inactive. Whenever they had some free time on their hands, they didn’t hit the gym, walk, run, cycle or engage in any physical activity. Consequently, Florida recorded 6,893 premature deaths. How tragic it must be to eventually lose your life because you are too busy, too ignorant or too indifferent!

Discovering these facts made me ask myself very pressing questions; how many premature deaths do we experience in Africa not just because of inactivity, but also because of bad food, food scarcity, excessive alcohol, reckless driving and other preventable causes? Which is Kenya’s most obese county? Which Kenyan county consumes the most vegetables per capita? Which county leads in physical activities?

As I searched for answers, I realised there is no one-stop online place where you can go to, and get instant, accurate answers. As a result of this lack of organised health information on and from our counties, the public doesn’t know how counties stack up against one another in matters of health.

The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and Kenya National Data Forum may to a certain extent, have some answers to these questions. I only suggest that they team up with talented young Kenyan data crunchers and come up with a one-stop site for comprehensive health data about our counties. Such a partnership will provide a revenue boost for young Kenyans whose talents are going to waste despite their programming savvy. Since data can only be digitally organised if it is available, there will also be need for all the 47 counties to liaise with the national government and possibly co-fund county data collectors to consistently collect and collate data.

Indeed, a youthful data army will produce real-time, easily accessible health data that will spur Kenya to speedy and innovative realisation of the third Sustainable Development Goal of ‘Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages.’

A United Nations Report that explains how we can mobilise data for sustainable development rightly points out that, ‘without high-quality data providing the right information on the right things at the right time; designing, monitoring and evaluating effective policies becomes almost impossible.’

Besides, efficient data on health in our 47 counties will help entrepreneurs to initiate businesses that meet diverse needs across the country. For instance, if data shows that Makueni County consumes the least pineapples, then an entrepreneur can start selling pineapples in Makueni and inject healthier nutrition into the county even as he or she makes green money.

Think green, act green!